


That's Only Fair

by Proskenion



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alcohol (slight), Gen, Humour, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Spoilers, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-08 04:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12856551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Proskenion/pseuds/Proskenion
Summary: Arthur, Merlin, Percival and Lancelot stopped to an inn for the night in the middle of some quest, and the king and his knight are having great fun teasing Merlin.





	That's Only Fair

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> I found out that little "gem" Inside my phone... Actually I wrote it months ago and I ~~totally forgot about it hum~~  
>  Anyway, this is the result of a diner with some frinds of mine during which we were kind of roleplaying the show (I was Merlin hehe) and we had so much fun that I just wrote it aftermath... Except for the ending, it's all from our roleplay ^^'  
> And please please forgive my mistakes :(

The taverne was crowded and utterly noisy and Merlin hardly frayed his way to the table. When he finally arrived Arthur exclaimed : 

« Finally! I thought we'd lost you forever! »  
« Sorry, there are so much people out there, I couldn't be quicker. »

Merlin poured beer into Arthur's, Lancelot's and Percival's glasses and then pour some for himself in his own goblet and went to sit next to Arthur. But the young king stopped him: 

« What do you think you're doing? »  
« Er... sit and have a beer? » Merlin answered.  
« With us? » Arthur replied. 

Merlin first frowned and then smiled. 

« Yes? » he said slowly. He looked at his three companions with raised eyebrows.  
« I don't think so. » Arthur answered sternly. "You're just a servant, you can't sit with us."  
« What? »

Merlin turned his gaze to the other two waiting for them to say something, but Percival was kind of hiding behind his goblet and Lancelot seemed determined not to look at him. Arthur resumed: 

« Theorically, you should be eating on the floor, but since it would be quite inconvenient here I simply suggest you find another table. »  
« You're not serious, are you? » Merlin asked with a smile. « Are you? » he repeated his smile fading away. 

He turned towards Percival and Lancelot but they were still avoiding his gaze. Actually, they were trying hard not to laugh at Merlin's face of disbelief, especially when Arthur snarled: 

« Come on Merlin, off you go. »  
« You're joking. » Merlin said, looking into Arthur’s eyes.  
« Do I look like someone joking? » Arthur replied with his sternest attitude. 

Merlin opened his mouth as to say something, but instead of it he took his glass and went to go away. But Arthur seized his arm and say: 

« Come on, don’t be silly, sit down. You may stay. » 

Merlin turned and caught Percival and Lancelot looking at each other with an amused face. 

« Right, you were joking. » he said while sitting.  
« No. » Arthur said. « We're just being fondly merciful, there's no free table. And we will need you to serve us anyway. »  
« Ha-ha » Merlin answered with a sulky face. 

At that Percival just burst out laughing and Arthur and Lancelot joined him immediately. Merlin looked at them in dismay, but he couldn't help but smile slightly when he said: 

« Yeah, yeah, you're all very funny. »  
« I know. » Arthur answered, slapping him friendly but strongly on his back. « And be careful. If you annoy me in any way I'll make you eat under the table, at my feet. » 

To that Merlin screwed his face into a sulking grimace. 

« I saw you. » Percival said.  
« So do I. » Arthur added.  
« That was not very respectful. » Lancelot smirked. 

Then he winked to Merlin and the servant smiled for real this time. 

Some time later the innkeeper arrived with four plates of meat and a new pitcher of beer. 

« Oh great, I'm starving! » Merlin exclaimed taking his fork and ready to eat.  
« Aren't you tasting Arthur's food first? » Percival asked. 

Merlin put his fork down while looking at the knight, bemused. 

« No, that's not my job. » he said.  
« Yes it is. » Percival replied.  
« No it's not. » Merlin said challengingly.  
« Actually ,it is » Arthur intervened. « Come on, taste it. »

And he pushed his plate towards Merlin who were staring at him in disbelief. 

« Do you really want me to taste your food? » Merlin asked in suspicion. « Or is it another trick of yours? »  
« Surely you don't want to see your king die a painful death in behalf of ruthless assassins and all that due to your own incompetence. » Arthur said dramatically. 

Merlin couldn’t help but laugh.

« No one is going to poison you, Arthur. No one knows you're here except for the four of us. »  
« Are you defying my orders? » 

Arthur looked into Merlin eyes sternly, making the servant smile fade away once more. He looked at Percival who just nodded as to encourage him to obey, and quickly. Lancelot was concentrate on his own plate just as if nothing was going on around him, a small smirk on his lips. 

« Alright. » Merlin said sulkilly. 

He took Arthur's plate and started to cut a piece of meat. But he was stopped by Arthur who screamed:

« Stop it! What are you doing? »  
« Tasting your food. » Merlin replied, slightly annoyed.  
« You're eating in my plate. MY plate. That's disgusting. »  
« But it's you... »  
« Do you really expect me to eat after you touched it? Come on Merlin, I know you're an idiot, but still! »

Merlin looked at Arthur with annoyance, and when Percival started to laugh it just angered him more. 

« Come on Merlin, we're just teasing you a bit! » Arthur said, laughing too. 

Merlin did not answer and that just seemed to make the others laugh even more. The servant looked away in dismay. 

« Sorry » said Lancelot earnestly, trying to stop laughing. « But if you could see your face... »  
« Yeah, ha-ha, we're having fun. » Merlin mumbled grumpilly. « Just tell me why you enjoy tormenting me that much? »  
« Because it's so easy with you! » Arthur replied, slapping him on the back again. « Come on, it's fine. Eat and stop brooding. » 

Merlin looked at his three companions laughing and he smiled despite his slight feeling of annoyance. 

« By the way Merlin, my glass is empty. » Arthur said while putting some meat inside his mouth.  
« Right. » Merlin answered with a cheeky smile. « The pitcher's right here under your nose. » 

Arthur smiled. 

« You really are the worst manservant I know. » he said with a smirk.  
« Well, thank you Sire. I appreciate the compliment. » Merlin replied with a huge smile.  
« Good. But my glass is still empty. »

Both of them looked at each other for a while. In front of them, Lancelot and Percival watched the scene, seemingly having great fun. Finally, Merlin broke into a slight laugh and took the pitcher. 

« You really can't do anything on your own, can you ? » he said while pouring beer in Arthur's goblet.  
« Well, I don't see why I should bother since you're here. »  
« You would be completely lost without me. Admit it. » Merlin said staring at Arthur. « And so would you. » He added to the other two who were laughing silently.  
« Merlin? » Arthur called.  
« Sire? »  
« Do you remember what we said about you eating on the floor? »  
« I do. »  
« Don't tempt me. » Arthur said firmly, looking at Merlin in the eyes.  
« You wouldn't do that. » Merlin replied steadilly.  
« I said: don't tempt me. » 

And the king returned to his plate and started eating again, a victorious smirk on his lips. Merlin smiled slightly. 

« You can't win, Merlin. » Lancelot said with a laugh.  
« That's what I let you all believe. » Merlin answered with a glance to Arthur. 

Percival smirked inside his goblet while drinking and Arthur glanced back at Merlin, pretending he hadn't heard it.

A few hours later, their meal finished long ago and a many goblets of beer swallowed, Arthur exclaimed: 

"Argh... the pitcher’s empty!.."  
"I'll fetch another one." Merlin answered. 

The servant hurried to the bar to ask for a new pitcher of beer, struggling through the crowd. When he came back, the three others were laughing out loud. 

« Having fun without me? » Merlin said.  
« Aaaaaah here you are! » Arthur exclaimed, ignoring the question. « Come one, pour me some beer! »  
« Yep, me too! » Percival added, handing his goblet to the servant. 

Rolling his eyes up, Merlin filled Arthur's and Percival's goblet and then went to sit down. But Lancelot's voice stopped him. 

« Thank you very much, that's very nice of you to ignore me like that! » 

Merlin turned around and looked at Lancelot who were staring at him with an amused smile while holding his goblet in his hand. 

« I was handing it to you but you just passed me by. »  
« Oh, excuse me. » Merlin said in confusion. « I'm sorry. » 

He went to fill Lancelot goblet while Arthur asked cheekily : 

« Are you trying to be particularly not effective tonight ? » 

Merlin did not answer so Arthur resumed :

« Do you know that what you’ve just done is a terrible offense ? Ignoring a knight ! That requires some kind of punishment… » 

Merlin glanced at Arthur with annoyance but also with slight worriness. The beer was starting to have some effects on the king and only God's knew what he would be able to do. 

« Arthur, come on, it’s fine. » Lancelot said to Merlin’s relief. « He was just a bit… absent-minded, that’s all. »  
« Hmmmm alright ! » Arthur answered. « But… » he resumed while Merlin was going back to his sit. « What I wonder it’s _why_ he was getting distracted, hm ? » 

Arthur turned to Merlin who had just sat down and looked at him head to toe. Then he exclaimed, taking the pitcher from Merlin’s hand :

« Maybe you should stop drinking, _Mer_ lin ! »  
« I’m not the one who should stop! » Merlin replied. « You almost drank the two first pitchers on your own ! »

At that, Percival giggled.

« What ? »

Arthur had turned to face Merlin again, his eyebrows raised and his eyes half-closed. The servant knew that face, the king was offended. He knew he shouldn’t answered anything, anything cheeky at least, but the words escaped his mouth, uncontrolled :

« I’m just pointing out a truth. » 

Percival’s new giggle was covered by Arthur ordering :

« Merlin, under the table. »  
« What ? » Merlin exclaimed in disbelief.  
« Go under that table, now. »  
« I’m not going under the table. » Merlin answered firmly.  
« I said go under the table, so you’ll go under the table ! » 

When Merlin saw Arthur moving he tried to get up and escape but the king were too quick and he grabbed Merlin by his neckerchief. Then Lancelot’s calm voice raised from behind them : 

« Now, please, stop this. You’re making fools of yourselves. » 

Neither Arthur nor Merlin moved for a while, then Arthur smiled and then laugh slightly, so Merlin relaxed and smiled too. 

« Well… » Arthur finally said. « Maybe I’ve drunk a bit too much, after all… Anyway, I’m exhausted, I’ll go to sleep. We shall all go, we have a long road tomorrow. » 

So they all got up and moved towards the stairs that lead to the rooms. But as Merlin made a move to follow, Arthur stopped him and said : 

« No, not you. You’ll check on our horses first. »  
« Check on the horses ? » Merlin repeated, confused. « Why would they need to be checked on, their in the stables and there’s a stableboy who… »  
« I said : check on the horses. » Arthur cut him short. 

Then Arthur yawned and stretched himself before going to the stairs. Merlin looked at him, half-dismayed, half-amused, then sighed and went to the stables. 

He had just made a few step inside the stables when he heard the door being opened again. He turned and smiled when he saw who was coming in. 

« Lancelot. »  
« I thought you might appreciate some help. » the knight said.  
« I do. » the servant answered with a smile. 

While walking together to the horses, Lancelot said :

« Don’t took it too seriously. He doesn’t mean to hurt you, we don’t mean… »  
« I know. » Merlin interrupted him sweetly.  
« Arthur does not always know when he goes too far. » Lancelot whispered.  
« And the beer doesn’t help. » Merlin replied mockingly. 

Lancelot laughed at that. 

« He’ll nurse a nasty headache tomorrow morning. »  
« That’s only fair. » Merlin replied with a playfull grin, making Lancelot laugh again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading <3


End file.
